Bending-machine.



No. 803,988. PATENTED NOV. '7, 1905.

v R. A. CARTER.

BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.13, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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R. A. CARTER. BBNDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.13. 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED NOV. '7, 1905.

R. A. CARTER. BENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 13.1904

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENDlNG-IVIACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1905.

Application filed December 13, 1904. Serial No. 236,694.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,RoBERTA.CARTER,a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and usefulImprovements in Bending-Machines, of which improvements the following isa specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements inmechanism for bending rods, &c., the improvement being especiallyapplicable for the manufacture of links for chains.

The invention has for its object a construction and combination of partswhereby a rod or bar may be divided into sections of suitable length andsuch sections bent in such manner that their ends when brought togetherwill slightly overlap.

It is a further object of such invention to provide for the separationof the ends of the section when bent in proper overlapping positionsufficiently far to permit of the insertion of another link thereinto.

The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure l is a top plan View of my improved bending-machine. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on a planeindicated by the line III 111, Fig. 1. Fig.4 is a bottom plan view ofthe machine. Figs. 5 and 6 are transverse sections of the machine onplanes indicated,-

respectively, by the line-V V, Fig. 1, and the line V1 V1, Fig. 3. Figs.7, 8, and 9 are detailed views of the parts directly operative on thesection or blank to bend the same, showing such parts in differentoperative positions.

In the practice of my invention the slide 1 is mounted in suitable ways2 on the frame of the machine, said slide being operated in any suitablemanneras, for example, by a grooved cam 3 on the main shaft 4 engaging apin 5 on the slide. This slide is provided with a guide-groove 7 whichwhen the slide is in rearward position will direct the front end of abar above but in the plane with the space or opening between theforming-surfaces 8 and 9 and the bending-rollers l0 and 11. The inwardmovement of the bar is limited by an adjustable stop 12, which ispivotolly mounted on a bracket, adjustably secured to a vertical slide14. The block 12 is yieldingly held in normal or operative position bymeans of a spring 15, surrounding the-bracket and having its endssecured to the block and bracket, respectively, as clearly shown in Fig.5. The tension of this spring is so adjusted as to hold the tailpiece ofsaid block or stop 12 in position to strike against a cam-plate 16,secured to the frame of the machine in such manner that when the slide14, and with it the bracket and stop, move downward, the stop will bemoved or swung to one side away from .the inner end of the bar. As theshaft 4 rotates the slide 1 will be moved forward or to the left,thereby bringing a beveled blade 17 across a similar stationary blade18, secured to the frame of the machine on one side of the line ofmovement of the bar or rod as it is fed into the machine. The blade 17is adjustably secured to the slide in such relation to the guide-groove7 that on the beginning of the forward movement of the slide it willengage and in connection with the stationary blade 18 sever the bardiagonally, so as to bevel or incline both the end of the section orblank and the end of the bar proper. As shown in Fig. 5, the shank ofthe blade 17 is slotted for the passage of the screw, and a set-screw 19passes through a plate 20, secured to the slide 1, and bears against therear end of the stem of the blade 17.

In order to insure the proper position of the bevels on the blank duringthe bending operation, the stop 12 is provided with a V-shaped notch forthe reception of the beveled end of the rod as it is fed into themachine. By this V-shaped notch or opening the bar will be rotated onits axis when fed in, and hence the bevels on the ends of the blank willbe always in proper position relative to each other.

As before stated, the blank is fed into the machine above the positionwhere the bending is effected and must therefore be lowered into thefield of movement of the bending dcends of the supporting-hooks 23,which, as-

shown in Figs. 8 and 5, are pivotally connected to the slide and held inoperative position by springs 24. The groove 7 in the slide 1 and thelower edge of the slide 14 and the hooks 23 form guides for the rod orbar as it is fed into the machine. As soon as the-severing of the rodhas been effected the slide 14 is moved downward so as to bring theblank between the formers 8 and 9 and the bendingrollers 10 and 11. Themovement of the slide is efiected by a cam-groove in a disk 25 on thepower-shaft 4, said groove being engaged by a pin 26 on the bar 27,which is connected to an arm 28 on the shaft 29, said shaft havingsecured thereon a segment of a rack-bar 30, engaging teeth on the backof the slide 14. As above stated, this downward movement is effectedimmediately subsequent to the shearing operation and just prior to thebending of the ends of the blanks. As soon as the blank has been loweredto bending position a slide 31, mounted in suitable ways in the machine,is moved forward, its forward movement being effected by means of a thrustbar 32, having its rear end connected to a crank-pin 33 on the shaft4. The forward end of this thrust-bar bears against a shoulder orabutment 34 on the slide 31. A plate 35, provided with slots 36, issecured to the under side of the slide 31 by means of bolts passingthrough the slots into the slide. This construction will permit amovement of the plate independent of the slide. The plate is yieldinglypressed forward by a spring 37, arranged between a lug on the plate anda shoulder on the guide-rod 38, the position of which can be shifted bythe screw 39 to change the tension of the spring. The forward movementof the plate independent of the slide is limited by the abutment of alug 40 against the end of the slide. In order to cause a positiveforward movement of the plate, as is necessary to bend the blank.threaded studs 41 project from the slide through the lugs 40, and nuts42 on said stud bear against the lugs. This construction permitsmovements of the slide and plate independent of each other and also apositive movement of the plate by the slide. The bending-rollers 10 and11 are mounted upon pins carried by arms 43 and 44. One end of thesearms is pivotally mounted on the plate 35, as by the pins 45 and 46, andthe rear ends of the arms are connected by links 47 and 48 to astationary portion of the machine, as the formers 8 and 9, in suchrelation to the forming-surfaces thereof that when the plate is movedforward and the rollers 10 and 11 pushed forward by the arms 43 and 44the rollers 10 and 11 will be guided around the forming-surfaces 8 and 9by the links 47 and 48, thereby imparting the initial bends to the endsof the blank a. Immediately after the rollers 10 and 11 have movedforward to engage the blank the shaft 29 is rocked so as to raise theslide 14 and withdraw the fingers or hooks 23 from under the blank, thesprings 24 permitting the fingers to move outwardly, leaving the blankfirmly gripped by the rollers and stationary formers. As the slide 31moves forward a hook 49, pivotally connected to the thrust-bar 32, movesforward also, and by reason of the inclination of its forward end willslide over the blank while held by the rollers and formers and allow itspulling shoulder 7) to drop in behind the blank. The return movement ofthe slide 31 is effected by means of the thrust-bar 32, which isprovided with a head 50, its front end adapted to drop into a recess inthe slide. The widths of the recess and head on the bar 32 are soproportioned that the space between the abutment or shoulder 34 and theshoulders 51, forming the rear wall of the recess, as to allow a certainplay or free movement of the thrust-rod in the slide, so that when thethrust-rod moves backward it will draw back the hook 49 and pull theblank against a holding shoulder or head 52 on the slide, thereby firmlyclamping the middle portion of the link between the abutment b on thehook and the head 52. As the thrust-rod continues its rearward movementthe slide will be forced back by the hook operating on the slide throughthe blank and the head 52. By this rearward movement of the slide theblank is withdrawn from between the formers and rollers 10 and 11, whichduring the initial rearward movement of the slide will be yieldinglyheld against the blank by the-spring 37, acting through the plate 35.During this rearward movement of the slide with the partially-formedlink bending-wings 53 and 54 are moved forward against the portions ofthe blank on opposite sides of the hook, thereby imparting the finalbend to the blank. As clearly shown in Figs. 1, 7, 8, and 9, these wingsare pivotally mounted upon the slide 31 by pins 55 and 56 and areconnected by links 57 and 58 to stationary portions of the machine, sothat when the slide is moved forward the wings will be drawn out to theposition shown in Figs. 7 and 8; but when the slide moves backward or tothe right in Figs. 1 and 9 these wings will be forced inward against theblank, completing the bending of the same, as shown in Fig. 7.

It is characteristic of my improvement that the bar is fed in shearedduring the bending of the ends of the previously-cut blank, and that thefinal bend is given by the wings 53 and 54 to one blank while the nextblank is being forced down between the stationary formers and thebending-rollers. It is also characteristic of my improvement that theblank is firmly gripped between the hook 49 and the head 52, therebypreventing any movement of the blank during the action of the wings 53and 54 thereon. As the movement of the slide is due to the pull of thehook on the blank and the movement of the wings is caused by thebackward movement of the slide, it follows that the greater resistancethe blank presents to the action of one or both wings to bend the blankthe more firmly will the blank be gripped.

When the inner surfaces of the links are to be grooved or have anyparticular configuration, the faces of the formers 8 and the face of theabutmentb of the hook 49 are so shaped as to preserve or impart suchinternal shape or configuration.

By reason of theconstruction permitting the slide 31 to move back ashort distance independent of the plate the blank will be yieldinglyheld against the forming-surfaces 8 and 9 by the rollers 10 and 11 bothprior to the bending of the ends of the blank and also during theinitial rearward movement of the blank by the hook 4:9.

I claim herein as my invention 1. In a bending-machine the combinationof stationary formers, bending-rollers movable around the formers,guides for the blank arranged above the plane of movement of therollers, and means for shifting one of said guides to bring the blankinto position between the rollers and formers, substantially as setforth.

2. In a bending-machine, the combination of stationary formers,bending-rollers movable around the formers, guides having ayieldingmember and arranged above the plane of movement of the rollers, andmeans for reciprocating said guide, substantially as set forth.

3. In a bending-machine, the combination of a slide, a thrust-rod forshifting the slide, and movable independent thereof a hook connected tothe thrust-rod, a bearing-head carried by the slide, bending-wings andmeans operative on the movement of the slide for shifting the wings,substantially .as set forth.

t. In a bending-machine the combination of a slide, a thrust-rod adaptedto shift the slide and movable independent thereof, a hook movablyconnected to the thrust-rod, a blankbearing head carried by the slide,wings pivotally connected to theslide and links connecting the wings tostationary portions of the machine, substantially as set forth.

5. In a bending-machine, the combination of a slide, a thrust-rod forshifting the slide movable independent thereof, a hook pivotallyconnected to the thrust-rod, a bearinghead on the slide, bending-Wingsand means for forcing said wings toward each other during the movementof the slide, substantially as set forth.

6. In a bending-machine, the combination of a slide, Wings pivotallymounted on the slide, links connecting the wings to stationary portionsof the machine, a reciprocating hook for engaging the blank, andoperative through the blank to force the slide backward to close theWings, substantially as set forth.

7. In a bending-machine. the combination of stationary formers,bending-rollers movable around the formers, guides for the blanknormally above the plane of movement of the rollers, means for shiftingthe guides to bring the blank into operative position between therollers and formers and a stop movable with the guides, substantially asset forth.

8. In a bending-machine, the combination of stationary formers,bending-rollers movable around the formers, guides for the blank,normally above the plane of movement of the rollers, means for shiftingthe guides to bring the blank into operative position between therollers and formers, a stop having a blankguiding surface movable withthe guides, and means for removing the stop out of engagement with theblank, substantially as set forth.

9. In a bending-machine, the combination of stationary formers,bending-rollers, movable around the formers, guides for the blanknormally above the plane of movement of the rollers, means for shiftingthe guides to bring the blank into operative position between therollers and formers, a pivotally-mounted stop movable with the guidesand means for swinging the stop during its movement with the guides,substantially as set forth.

10. In a bending-machine the combination of stationary forming surfaces,a reciprocating slide, a plate movably mounted on and operative by theslide, bending-rollers operative by the plate and a spring for shiftingthe plate independent of the slide, substantially as set forth.

11. In a bending-machine, the combination of stationary formingsurfaces, a slide, a thrust-rod for shifting the slide and movableindependent thereof, a plate movable on and operative by the slide,bending-rollers operative by the plate, a spring for shifting the plateindependent of the slide, bendingwings, means operative by the slide forshifting said wings, a hook connected to the thrust-rod and a headcarried by the slide, substantially as set forth.

12. In a bending-machine, the combination of stationary formers, aslide, a thrust-rod for shifting the slide and movable independentthereof, a plate movable on and operative by the slide, bending-rollersoperative by the plate, a spring for shifting the plate independent ofthe slide, bending-wings, means operative by the slide for shifting saidWings, and a hook connected to the thrust-rod, substantially as setforth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ROBERT A. CARTER.

Witnesses:

CHARLES BARNETT, HERBERT BRADLEY.

